A preliminary report of an investigative audit dated Dec. 4 from MDE to Superintendent Vikki Landry and BWSD School Board President Mike Bell – provided by BWSD board attorney Ronnie Artigues – stated that MDE found the district in violation of “Process Standards 1 and 1.1.; a board member is acting individually and outside of the role prescribed by law by giving directives to district staff members.” According to Standard 1, “the local school board’s responsibilities shall pertain to matters of setting policy and shall not interfere in the day-to-day operations of the school district that include, but are not limited to, such duties as those relating to personnel and management decisions.” 1.1 states that “the school board assigns all executive and administrative duties to the superintendent.”

And for all the lurid things found by MDE auditors late last year all it took was a response from School Board Attorney Ronnie Artigues supported by the minutes to cause MDE to withdraw their recommendation that the district be placed on probation.

On Jan. 30, MDE issued its response – also provided by Artigues – where MDE withdrew its recommendation for probation.

However, Office of Accreditation Executive Director Jo Ann Malone said in the letter that MDE “still has concerns regarding the allegations made that prompted the investigative audit” because the superintendent and other board members did not provide information in the district’s response that “confirms or contradicts MDE’s findings.”

“Therefore, the MDE will continue to monitor the actions of the board member(s) of the district throughout the 2017-2018 school year or until such time the Office of Accreditation determines the district is fully compliant with all process standards of the Mississippi Public Schools Accountability Standards, 2017,” Malone said in the response.

It took me a couple of reads of Cassandra’s story for everything to sink in and the bottom line is it appears some elements of school board, my guess being the faction that will soon find itself in the minority after Mayor Favre makes his pick top replace School Board Trustee Joan Thomas, dropped a dime on Mayor Favre’s son Casey and blew a whole bunch of smoke up MDE’s hiney about him and that brings us to the old news quality to Cassandra’s story because it was alluded to here on Slabbed in comments last October on the post Bay Taxpayers, Utility Users Stuck paying Excessive Post Katrina Engineering Firm Fees by commenter SuperStar. Starting with this comment and reading down it is clear SuperStar had no use for Casey Favre.

Sounds like a lot of unethical work going on with the board members, getting rid of employees because they were in Dr. Ladner’s back pocket. If that is the way the board works, then they are setting the district up to fail. Shame on them!
You should make that public in the Echo, not on Slabbed where only a handful see it.

Oh and you mentioned earlier that you had to go to class, no teacher would have all of those grammatical errors. If the former principal was your teacher it would have been in elementary school. You should have made progress from elementary school.

Welp, my guess is whatever was going to be made public is out there now and from what I can tell, besides earning Current Board School Board President Mike Bell and former School Board Trustee Maurice Singleton more political enemies not much was accomplished by the dime drop to MDE, unless endangering the School District’s accreditation status was the goal here rather than a by product of the latest attempt to smear Casey Favre. As for tomorrow’s Board meeting the agenda that was just released it does not have the Mayor making his pick to replace Ms. Thomas. Sources with knowledge of City Hall operations indicate to Slabbed that Mayor Favre’s new school Board pick will be made at the first March meeting.

Alice,
I want every member of the Bay St. Louis City Council to ask themselves just two questions( EVERY MEMBER)
1. Would you vote in the affirmative to hire Sissy Gonzalez’s sibling to work under her in the Clerk’s office in City Hall?!
2. Would you give them unprecedented and unecessary 4 year contracts ?
Would you 7 Councilmen sit in front of the public you serve after being advised against it by the Director of the Ethics Commission and Attorney General and vote like this?
Think about this, gentlemen–ALL of you before you vote for the next School Board Trustee?!

Lana,
Will you please come to the City Council meeting tomorrow night and ask them just that? You have 3 minutes…we need your voice heard! I have a few things that we could probably add. Not one person has been brave enough to get up there and speak up for the desired change and accountability, in terms of the school board and the way in which Ms. Thomas has contributed to the downfall of this district.

One more question for them—
How would they advise and expect their new appointee to represent the public?
They should be requiring an apology from Joan for this behavior after placing their confidence in her by appointing her 4 years ago–this does not apply to Hoffman, Smith, Zimmerman, DeSalvo, and Knoblock.
Their hands are clean on this one. But Seal and Reed need to recite the Oath of Office they took which included upholding the laws and Constitution of the State of Miss.
Joan took the same one for all that was worth!!

Wow Unbelievable
Board tries to get themselves put on probation so they can rid themselves of Favre, have free reign of the school system. Wow
This is what Les, Blowgez,Rhonda’s, Singleton, Bell, Labot, have been spreading for a year now, his personal agenda, it’s coming down on him.
He’s going down. Just wait.
Up Oh
Lies & Sabotage Did Not Work.
Thank God MDE had the guts to report the Truth.
Their continuous investigation may just be on the Liars!!! Just Maybe and should be!
Doug Seal, Jeffrey, Buddy, wake the hell up. Pull that head out of where the sun don’t shine.
These people don’t care about any of you.
Only themselves.
Talk to the mayor & see what his thoughts are.
But please don’t buy in to their BS.
Try to Find someone to say something bad about Ms Ann. Bet You Can’t!!!!
One hell of a teacher with students at the front.
Change for the good.
Support for Ms. Ann is support for the students our educational seystem.
You shouldn’t need a bandwagon believing and spreading lies about someone to get appointed to a position.
Stand on your own merits.
Evidently Thomas is no more than a follower.

Watching video of BSL! OMG ! The way Mayor Favre was treated is despicable. He’s making Thomas earn your position with competition. The best and brightest thru competitive analyst. Les was non-transparent with good o boys mentality, Favre has committee and gets ripped….he can’t win but at least the children can… Mr. Mike please don’t fall for bullying tactics by a few self appointed cheerleaders. Ms. Thomas’ demeanor tonight was sad. Wonderful lady, bad display… very disappointed in “demanding” nature by NAACP to Mayor. Sad night in BSL..

This may as well be said publicly, so I will go ahead and get it out there tonight. I heard that the Council Chambers was full of people tonight who are suffering from “victimhood.”
In February of 2016, former School Board Trustee, Clevand Williams announced his decision to retire from the School Board.
Mayor Les Fillingame promptly nominated Joan Thomas for his unexpired term. The entire City Council in Bay St. Louis, without argument, ratified Mayor Fillingame’s nomination.
That included then Councilman-at-Large, Mike Favre.
I think Stevie Wonder, Ray Charles, and Helen Keller could all see that Mike Favre had no reservations about Joan Thomas’s ethnicity when he cast his vote for her for School Board.
Mike Favre’s issue with Joan Thomas just might be her performance as a Trustee for the past 2 years.
That happens. People you think might be good public servants disappoint you.
If, now Mayor Favre, is looking earnestly for a replacement for Joan Thomas, he must feel justified, and he has the right to his feelings and judgement.
It is a documented fact that Mike Favre voted FOR Joan Thomas for School Board in 2016.
If he has changed his mind, he may have good reason, and it is not because of her race. He proved that 2 years ago.
Bruce Northridge stated tonight at the Council meeting that they will be back. Good. When they come with their crying towels, I hope they have a better excuse for using them.

Lana,
You should really post this on Facebook or in the Sea Coast Echo…if they have the balls to run it. Again, not one person that spoke on her behalf talked about the positive impact she has had since serving on this board. Corruption at its best!

There was no reason to replace her. She just refused to drink the “Farve Koolaid “and stood her ground. He is a narcissistic, sniveling twit. The board did not need more gay representation, IT ALREADY HAS IT!!!

No she refuses to represent the teachers, students and taxpayers. The money she spent along with Bell & Kidd to file 7 complaints against Mr. Favre and all 7 was denied! I could only imagine how much that cost us for that Investigation? Because they were not happen he didn’t go along with there wrong doings! She also approved for Mr. Singleton to go to a board member training conference. He went but took his family and had a vacation. Nope he didn’t go th the training, he had a vacation! That is the reason Ms. Joan Thomas needed to be replace! By the way, get it straight the Favre’s don’t drink Kool-aide, they like ice cold beer!

A follower she is! I’ve seen her at board meetings when some of the dumbest ideas are presents, she just looks and says “well I think I could be in favor of that.” I want to reach out from the audience and shake her.

Stone Cold, glad you touched on the Labat’s. What a vicious group. I have been told by several people, there was only one vote for CL and it ain’t be Thomas. So her games run deep with them too.

Happy, My God,
Happy / Lana , Short & To The Point
After tonight I see no way in hell Mayor Ice will appoint Thomas and it has nothing to do with the color of a persons skin.
Actions speak louder than words and ignorance was loud tonight.

He was unphased with what was being said. He’s got Ice in his Veins.
His answers were short to the point.
He stood his ground for the way the search for the appointment is taking place and said he would finish what he started.
He will make his recommendation at the next meeting.
I would be very disappointed if he appoints Thomas.
Mayor Ice, Do what’s right for our kids.
Sorta like the new Mayor Ice’s name.

So I watched the entire city council meeting last night, and must say that the NAACP, Joan Thomas and all others who spoke should be embarrassed by their comments.

First, you question the Mayor’s process. Guess what folks, its his process to create. Do other companies not use interview panels and peer interviews to select qualified candidates? But the greater question, if she is not able to think on her feet, answer questions in front of a group of four people and make decisions under pressure … do we really want her as a school board member? Sitting in those school board chairs shouldn’t be comfortable. Apparently, she must have gotten on the school board for the off site conferences and a little vacay.

Second, your resume speaks to your qualifications. We get it, you were a teacher. We get it, you love children. However, what matters most … how have you performed as a school board member? POORLY.

Third, when you were questioned about your voting record, you started the same song and dance as the other cowards on the school board.

Fourth, we need a minority. I can think that the term minority applies to things besides race. And there were likely other minorities interested before the NAACP came out endorsing Thomas … having their own advocacy group turn against them. How foolish of the NAACP.

Bruce Northrup/Northridge/Northsomething … SIT DOWN. You want to talk all this St. Rose stuff. Let’s face it, that church has its problems too and Joan Thomas has been part of that problem.

As for all the people that liked Mrs. Thomas as a teacher … I had her as a teacher. She was mean and spiteful to white children. She was a racist in every sense of the word, and the reason I didn’t pursue a job in teaching.

Come on Now,
Let me help you out a little here. Joan didn’t have Mike Bell or Mark Kidd there in the interview to tell her what to say. She is offended because that’s how out of touch with reality she really is. If I am Joan, and I have to get the NAACP and everyone I know to talk about what a good person I am….even though it’s obvious that people want to see a CHANGE, my behind is stepping down because obviously, I’m not what the people want. Absolute disgrace! Hope our City Council supports the Mayor instead of caving to this BS and trying to secure votes.

Doug \ Lana,
What are the chances of MDE’s continuous investigation about facts not being turned over really being on the the false accusations filed by this board.
That no facts were turned over because there were none. Only lies.
This is truly what they need to investigate. Own board members trying to sabotage themselves to disgrace one member that holds them accountable for their actions.
Seems Favre has been cleared of any wrongdoing & all the lies sent to MDE & Bell Thomas & Kidd are left holding the Poot Sack. Bet they were pissed when they received this news. Oops they didn’t buy the BS we sent in.
Doug/ Lana
How can we file charges against these board members?
AG needs to investigate.

Go to the AG’s website. Download a complaint form.
What I want to know is how the State Dept. of Education came down here, did what they referred to as an investigative audit, and didn’t cite the Board for an ongoing Nepotism arrangement in the Business Office?
There are documented opinions from Ethics and AG that this is in violation of State Law, and that one or the other of these individuals, the Superintendent or her brother must resign!!
Minutes have Thomas, Bell, and Kidd voting in the affirmative to break this law.
I am working on this as we speak as we speak.

Because their audit as confined to Accreditation Standard #1, specifically Mr. Favre’s actions. Yet another example that we were targeting someone.

Question for everyone … when do we quit targeting, quit waiting for others to mess up, and quit pouncing on those trying to do right … and just accept we have new city and school leadership that want to make things better? I understand that admitting defeat is a challenge, but damn, at the expense of our public education system.

As I have said in previous posts, I am new to this site. However, I am somewhat privy to information regarding the board members individual agendas, the actions leading up to Ladner’s resignation, the legal actions at Waveland Elementary (including why attorneys were involved and their legal fees), Landry’s contract extension and other information. Please keep in mind these are my opinions based on the information that I have seen first hand, not hearsay. I have a child in the district and my only agenda is improvement as a community member.

First, Casey did overstep in a few human resources and “day to day” operations of the district. Although he may have had good intentions and his actions were done in the best interest of the district, they were outside the scope of his responsibility. In all likelihood, they were not done out of malice. They were done out of passion. However, dismissing his actions and acting like nothing occurred is not the best approach. He was a new board member and he had good intentions at the time. His actions do not warrant a probationary status, nor do they warrant him being removed from the board. We all make mistakes and I am sure he has learned from his.

Second, acknowledge that all of the board members could have used a better approach. Pointing fingers is not okay. The power struggle / pissing match between board members and the divide within the community and making accusations is not going to help our students or our community. The best way to help our kids is likely somewhere in the middle. We need to stop fighting, accusing, blaming, and bitching. Let’s come together, meet, compromise, and develop plans to benefit the kids.

Third, we, as humans, have a unique (dis)ability to see things from our own perceptions. Maybe, inviting the opinions of those who oppose our own may actually spark us to see things from a different perspective and assist us in actually making a difference.

I encourage all of you to do the following:

1. Quit publicly complaining about things.
2. Form a strategic planning committee with stakeholders that includes teachers, administrators, parents, and community members who want the best for our community.
3. Develop a plan for improvement.
4. Present that plan to those who can actually implement the plan.

Let’s focus on presenting solutions rather than complaining about problems.

Savage,
I have witnessed and participated in every suggestion you made throughout the years educating my children. Nice thoughts. Doesn’t necessarily accomplish anything.
Don’t make public statements? About public entities?
You are their ” dream” citizen!!

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